Horse flu-free declaration looms

Australia's chief veterinary officer says the country should be provisionally free of equine influenza by the middle of March.

Dr Andy Carroll says from that date only a permit will be needed to move horses to Victoria from old infected zones in New South Wales and Queensland.
Dr Carroll says the relaxation of quarantine and disease testing measures means horse industries can soon return to normal business.
He says although there has been no transfer of infection since December, horse owners must continue taking biosecurity measures.
"The disease is not circulating as much and we've adjusted things according to that," he said.
"Even from the old infected zones it's now become easier for movement, and certainly from the old non-infected zones in Queensland and NSW, into places like Victoria, it's enormously easier."